Chain wrench.



F. M. SIMPSON.

CHAIN WRENCH. V APPLICATION FILED JULYZ, 1913;

' Patented July 21, I914.

anpewt'oz z'pson woes FRANK M. srmrson, or ALAMEDA, Caucasian.

CHAIN WREKGH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1914.

Application filed July 2, 1913. Serial No. 777,118.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, FRANK M. SIMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alameda, in the county of Alameda and State ofCalifornia, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Chain lVrenches; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in pipe wrenches and has particular reference to that type of such devices known as chain wrenches.

As its principal object, the present invention contemplates the provision of a device of the character set forth, in which a novel form of locking means is provided for holding the chain in adjusted gripping engagement with the pipe wrench.

A further object is to construct the wrench of. this invention with such regard to proportion, number, and arrangement of parts, that it may be cheaply manufactured, will be durable and efficient in its action, and may be readily applied to turn pipes and similar objects which are, by-,reason of their location, ordinarily inaccessible to other types of wrench.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claim which is appended hereto and forms a part of this application.

IVith reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, 1

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the chain in assembled gripping relation to a pipe, parts of the lever handle being broken away to clearly disclose the locking -means employed in holding the chain in gripping engagement with the, structure to which it is to be applied, Fig. 2 is a top plan view, and, Fig. 3 is a detail View of the gripping edge of the chain.

Proceeding now to the description of the drawings, the numerals 1 and 3 designate, respectively, the lever handle and gripping chain. The handle 1 consists essentially in an elongated bar of any suitable metal, one terminal of which is rounded, as at 3, to produce the wrench head. In the lower portion of this rounded head is formed a slot 4, extending transversely of thehandle and designed to receive the fixed terminal of the chain 2. The'fixed terminalof the chain 2 is secured within the slot 4 in the usual mannenby a pivot pin 5. It is to be noted that the slot 4 is of sufficient size to permit the rotation of the extreme terminal of the last link of the chain during the manipulationof the wrench.

A second slot, indicated at 6, is formed in the wrench head 3. This slot extends through the handle 1 and is formed with a diagonal rear-wall 7 The forward wall of the slot 6 is formed with a pair of shoulders 8 and 9, which extend angularly as regards their relation to each other and comprehend between their adjacent terminals the chain hooks 10. These chain hooks 10 are formed integrally with the wrench head 3 in spaced diametrically opposed relation to each other and are each provided with a forward curved shoulder 11 and a rearward curved shoulder, as at 12. In practice, the gripping chain 2 is placed in engagement with the hooks 10 so that the connecting link 14 of the links 13 is interposed between the hooks and the curved shoulders 12 of the hooks are in engagement with the rounded terminals of the adjacent rearward links 13 thus holding the chain in adjusted position.

The inner edge of the chain is provided withthe teeth 15 which are designed to bite into the pipe or other structure to which the invention is applied, for holding the chain against creeping or shifting.

As regards the operation of this wrench, it will be apparent that it is only necessary to pass the free end of the chain 2 around the pipe and through the slot 6, engaging the hook '10 in the manner above disclosed. Pressure is then brought to bear upon the handle 1 with the resultant rotation of the rounded terminal 3 on the pipe. This rotation of the head portion 3 will obviously tighten the chain and permit the operator to turn it in the desired mannern In reduction to practice I have found that the form of my invention illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment. is the most eflicient and practical; yet, realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion, and arrangement of parts,

7 may be resorted to, whenrequired, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim A chain wrench comprising a handle having a rounded head formed at one terminal thereof, said rounded head having a recess therein, a chain pivotally mounted at one terminal within the recess, said head provided with a chain slot, the outermost Wall of said slot being provided with angular shoulders, a pair of spaced integral chain hooks carried by one of the angular shouldcrs and adapted for engagement with the rounded terminals of one of the links of the chain upon opposite sides, one of the links of the chain adapted to lie against the upper angular shoulder and the other link adapted to lie in engagement with the lower angular shoulder, said slot being reduced at one terminal and said chain hook being turned toward the reduced terminal of the slot and disposed within the slot.

In testimony whereof I a (fix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK M. SIMPSON. Witnesses ETHEL JoNEs, U. S. GARDNER. 

